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Phone calls from abroad - problem with your computer

andygb
andygb Posts: 14,655 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
In the last fifteen minutes, I have had five phone calls (caller unavailable on the display), from people with an Indian accent, supposedly working at "Windows headquarters" in Canada.
They say that I have a problem with my computer - internet connection, and that I need to turn my computer on and take instructions from them.
It has taken five phone calls for me to get my point across to them in no uncertain terms.
They know my name, what kind of scam is this, and has anyone else had these phone calls out of the blue?
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Comments

  • John_Gray
    John_Gray Posts: 5,845 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    This comes up every week, or so. A quick search should give you enough to convince you of its scamminess...
    Just put the phone down.
  • andygb
    andygb Posts: 14,655 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    John_Gray wrote: »
    This comes up every week, or so. A quick search should give you enough to convince you of its scamminess...
    Just put the phone down.


    I did that, and they kept phoning back, pity I cannot trace the call.
  • Ignore them I had loads of calls over a couple of weeks - became a bit of a joke with my kids answering the phone and shouting "mum its Daniel from India calling!" Couple of times just left the phone on the side till they went away, but they still called back. But after a couple of weeks they just gave up!
  • andygb
    andygb Posts: 14,655 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    This is exactly the sort of call which I had.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres

    If they phone again, then I shall attempt to be as verbal as possible.
    If there are known call centres in India making these calls, then I propose that we stop giving aid to that part of the World, and mayve get some Preadtor drones to fire a few speculative Hellfire missiles at the area.
    Alternatively, our politicians can talk to their counterparts in India and get it stopped.
  • patty65
    patty65 Posts: 83 Forumite
    Alternatively, our politicians can talk to their counterparts in India and get it stopped

    Hysterical laughter:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
  • Firetastic
    Firetastic Posts: 596 Forumite
    What a coincidence. I think we've just had one of these today. The guy gave his name and asked if the computer had been running slowly and crashing. My Mum took the call and said I'm sorry I don't know anything about computers then he hung up.

    I told her it's a scam and they remotely access your computer and put viruses on it. My Mum was like I wouldn't know where to begin anyway.
  • andygb
    andygb Posts: 14,655 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    patty65 wrote: »
    Hysterical laughter:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


    Glad you find it funny, we give £280 million a year in aid to India

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/feb/18/uk-india-aid-politicians-right-media

    I wonder what we are getting in return?

    We are being scammed by them.:mad:
  • John_Gray
    John_Gray Posts: 5,845 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Perhaps you could use a somewhat forceful expression consisting of two words, the second of which being "off", and the first rhyming with a member of the Anatidae family?
  • andygb
    andygb Posts: 14,655 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    John_Gray wrote: »
    Perhaps you could use a somewhat forceful expression consisting of two words, the second of which being "off", and the first rhyming with a member of the Anatidae family?


    :D

    I think I may have used that well known Anglo Saxon phrase on the last three calls - I thought it was universally understood.
  • pogofish
    pogofish Posts: 10,853 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    andygb wrote: »
    Alternatively, our politicians can talk to their counterparts in India and get it stopped.

    Or better still, get them to talk to the phone companies who sell these scammers blocks of international call time at rates that make it cost-effective for them to operate. :mad:
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